Ten Billion Nerve Cells
by limecottage
Summary: A short one-shot featuring Severus and Remus.


Remus Lupin sat quietly at the wooden table, nursing a small goblet with mulled wine. In front of him sat his old friend, Sirius Black, who stared intently at him. Something bubbled away at the old iron stove, a large spoon stirring the contents of a pot.

"So," said Sirius, leaning forwards.

Remus looked up, and then sighed.

"Are you... Going to start talking about it or not?"

"About what? There's nothing wrong," replied Remus, taking a sip of his wine.

"I didn't say there was," Sirius leaned back in his chair, a small smile upon his face.

Remus smiled back, fiddling with the loose threads on the sleeve of his old sweater, "There have been some complaints were I live, apparently I make too much noise during the full moon."

"But you're a harmless little wolf. You're like a puppy," said Sirius, with a smile that immediately vanished upon seeing the look on Remus's face.

"I have elderly neighbors, they're sensitive to everything. They've complained to the renter, who searched my flat from top to bottom looking for a pet. Since I obviosly don't have one, he gave up. The noise continued, and now I've got to vacate the premises until the enf of the week." he swallowed the rest of his wine in one big gulp.

Sirius mouthed a silent 'oh', and immediately said, "You can stay here, you know that, for as long as you need."

"I'd rather not, Sirius. There are a lot of people coming in and out right now, I don't think I can control myself not even with Wolfsbane. I don't want to risk it, especially with the children here for summer," he smiled sadly.

"Well, you could always-" he was interrupted by Molly Weasley coming into the kitchen, already making cutlery fly out of drawers.

"Elbows up!" she ordered, as she made a tablecloth set on the table. When she looked into Remus's face, though, she immediately stopped what she was doing and summoned a plate of cookies, staring intently at him.

"I don't understand why I'm being the center of attentions today," he said, reaching for a cookie and nibbling it.

"Dear, whatever it is, don't worry too much about it. We've already got so much on our minds," said Molly, squeezing his hand with her own.

"Remus is homeless," piped Sirius from her side.

Molly gasped, "Oh Remus, you poor thing..."

"I'm not homeless! I'm simply getting evicted for being a werewolf."

"It's so sad, how intolerant people are. You know I'd invite you to stay with us, but you know how crowded we get, even during the school year. And I'm spending so much time here anyway, Arthur and I are barely even home these days!"

"You do enough as it is, Molly, you shouldn't get anymore out of your way for me, but thank you for the offer."

She smiled sadly at him and got up to mind the stove. Everyone was silent for a while, while Molly finished cooking a tasty-looking beef stew and the table set itself. Sirius was deep in thought, trying to come up with a place for his friend to stay. It would be quite difficult, because no matter how close they were to him, not many people were willing to let a werewolf into their homes. Even more so, a werewolf that didn't have a proper income and possibly wouldn't be able to afford rent on a regular basis.

Remus poured himself some more wine.

Quick and short steps came in from the hallway, and the door opened with a bang when it hit the wall. Severus Snape entered the small kitchen, looking around.

"Wasn't there an Order meeting tonight?" he asked.

Molly immediately turned around, a grin on her face, "Oh, yes, there is, but it's not until a bit later. Say, Severus, have you had dinner yet?"

His lips were pursed tight as he looked at the pair sitting at the table and back at Molly, "No, I haven't."

An extra plate was promptly added to the table, "Alright, sit down then, you'll have dinner with us! Albus will be here soon, I have a feeling he'll join us too, he loves beef stew."

Severus didn't budge, and stood his ground at the threshold.

"Oh come on, Snape, join us, we won't bite. Well, I won't, can't vouch for Moony on that one," said Sirius playfully, patting the seat next to him.

"Black, I assure you that-" he was interrupted by someone clearing his throat behind him.

"Severus! I'm glad to see you here!" Albus Dumbledore now stood next to him, his eyes glimmering, "Is that beef stew I smell?"

Molly giggled, "Yes, Professor, will you join us for dinner?"

"Oh, most certainly!" he answered, walking round the table and sitting next to Remus, "Will you be joining us, Severus?"

He opened his mouth to politely decline the invitation when Sirius pulled up a chair next to him, grinning broadly, "Of course he is!"

Severus's mouth was nothing more than a faint white line as he resigned and sat at the table, silent. Remus didn't seem to acknowledge any part of the conversation, he noticed, as he still kept to himself and stirred his wine with his wand, looking at some empty space on the wall.

"Professor Lupin, you're looking quite downcast tonight. May I ask why?" inquired Albus.

Remus smiled at him, "You're too kind to still treat me as Professor, we all know I've sadly quit the business. The thing is-"

"Moony is homeless."

"I'm not homeless!" said Remus, and smacking Sirius's forehead lightly, "My neighbors don't look too kindly upon me being a werewolf. I'm apparently 'noisy'. They're old, and therefore, I have to leave my flat."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Professor," said Albus with a wink that made Remus smile, "Sadly I can't offer you anywhere to stay, either."

"You've been far too kind already, Headmaster."

"I can't think of anyone who has a vacant residence during the school... Wait, Severus, isn't your house free during the year?"

"It is," Severus started catching on to the conversation, and he didn't like where it was going.

"Well, you know Professor Lupin, you know he's trustworthy. There are no neighbors he could harm or irritate. It would be very kind of you to let your house to him."

"Yes, Snape, it would indeed be very kind," repeated Sirius, with a very malicious grin on his face, and patted Severus's back.

He inched away from his hand, and leaned forward, calmy saying, "I most certainly won't!"

* * *

><p>Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he unlocked the front door to his small house and held it open for his guest to come through. Remus levitated his suitcase through the front door, and closed the door behind him.<p>

"The shed out back is off limits, and so is my bedroom and private office. There is a small guestroom on the first floor, and the bathroom is on its right. Are we clear?"

Remus nodded, and followed the other man into the kitchen, watching his robes billowing behind him, "Any other particularities I should now of?"

"Do not destroy my house in my absence," warned Severus, muttering something under his breath Remus didn't understand.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering how I got myself sucked into this situation. I always thought of myself to have my wits about me."


End file.
